Power unit for oil wells



Feb. 21, 1933. D. R. BROWN POWER UNIT FOR OIL WELLS Filed NOV. 30, 1927 Patented Fb.z1,1933 I UNITED STATES PATENT ori-lcs noUeLas n. nnowN, or eormvmnn.'

KANSAS, ASSIGNOB T THE 011| COUNTRY SPECIALTIES EFG. 00., 0F OOFFEYVILLE, KANSAS,

A GQBPORATION 0l' KANSAS POWER UNIT FOB OIL .Application nled November 80, 1987.- Berial lo. $83,687.

This invention pertains to power units, such as particularly adapted for driving deep wells, such as oil wells.

The power unit for a deep well, such as an oil well, must be ca able of handlin eiliciently a number of distinctly different inds ofv o erations. Once the drilling of the well has been completed and the pumping opera tions begun, there are several dlierent 0E- erations incident to the handling of the we which includes besides the pumping operation the pulling out or inserting of pump rods or pump tubes andthe like. When the well is pumping, there is a considerable length of pump rod suspended from one end of the walking beam which must be raisedand lowered continually during the pumping-operation. In most cases the weight of this rod is counter-balanced by a corresponding weight hung on the other end of the walking beam. In many cases, however, such counter-balancing is not accurate, and l there is still a considerable weight of pump rod which is unbalanced and which must be started and stopped at puts an intermittent load on the power unit which drives thepump. As the pumping is usually carried out by means of an electric motor as a drive, such intermittent load works the motor at a poor efficiency and puts unnecessary strains upon the driving connections.

fore, is to provide a driving unit which 1s self-contained and by means of ,which the fluctuations of 'load on the driving motor may be reduced to a minimum.

In order to balance the intermittent pump ing load, a iywheel is included in the makeup of the power unit. so as to reduce the fluctuations. During the operation of extracting or inserting pump rods, the motor is used as a hoist motor. This service requires rapid starting, quick acceleration and quick stopping. A flywheel included in the make-up of the power unit would be a distinct A disadvantage during this kind of service. It would reta-rd the starting so as to require a longer time for lifting a given section of pump rod, and when the time comes each end of each stroke. -This One of the objects of this invention, there-4 for stopping, it would rovide an increased momentum which Vwoul have to be overcome in stopping. In order to eiect a quick stop during these operat'ons, it is customary to reverse the motor. It will easily be seen that a lywheel would add to the load which the motor must stop under these conditions and mi ht cause the motor to burn out.

Ano er object of this invention, therefore, is to provide a power unit which while being ,60 capable of reducingethe iuctuations of a pumping load, may converted to a flexible dri-ve which is adapted to the lifting or rod pulling operations required at the well.

Another object is to provide a power unit of substantial constructlon which will reduce the speed of the motor to a speed adapted for driving the well rig and which will-be selfcontained and easily applied to any well installation. 3,79 Another object is to provide a power unit having a flywheel incorporated therein by which power fluctuations will be vreduced to a minimum and which iywheel is disconnectible so that its effects may be eliminated. J5

Further objects will appear from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, in which- -Fi re 1 is a s1de view oan` oil well rig, showlng the application of a power unit em- ;v bodying this invention;

Figure 2 is a section on line 2--2 of Figure 1; and Figure '3 ure 2.

Referring to the drawin Figure 1 shows an oil well rig of standar' construction in. cluding a derrickl which is placed over the well 2 in the usual manner and is provided with a hoisting cable 3 wound on a reel 4 driven by a belt` 5 from a drive shaft 6, which in turn is driven by a band wheel 7 connected by a belt 8 to the power unit shown at the left-hand side of Figure 1. The shaft 6 also drives by means of a crank 9 a walking beam 10, to the end of which the pump rod 11 is atis a section on line of ig- 'tached during the pumping operations. The

standard construction usual in Wells of this type and need not be described in detail since they are familiar to all those skilled in the art.

During the operation of extracting the pump rods, said rods are disconnected from the beam 10 and hung on the end of the cable 3, and the rods are then lifted by operating the reel 4. This is a simple hoisting operation. Since the rods are lifted in sections (about fifty or sixty feet of rod being lifted at one operation, disconnected from the remainin rods and lowered to the ground, after w ich the cable is attached to the next section, which is lifted in a similar Way) this service involves a succession of hoisting operations in Which the motor is started, stopped and reversed quite frequently.

During the pumping operation, the rods 1l are attached to the Walking beam, as shown, and the motor runs continuously so as to reciprocate the rod in the well to pump the oil. Such operation may .be continuous for from twelve to twenty-four hours a day.

Refer-ring more particularly to Figures 2 and 3, 13 designates a base which may be of cast iron or other suitable material adapted for mounting on a foundation 14 of concrete or other similarmaterial. The base 13 is constructed to provide a platform 15 upon which an electric motor 16 may be mounted. The base itself may be adjustably mounted upon rails 17 so that it may be moved back and forth to adjust the belt tension. The

base 13 is provided with a chamber 18 provided at its ends with bearings 19 in which is journaled a countershaft 20. The bea-rings 19 are shown as roller bearings, but any other suitable type may Ibe employed. The chamber is closed at its ends by caps 21 w that it may be lled with oil or similar lubricant if desired. A pipe 22 communicating with the chamber 18 leads to the outside of the base 13 and is provided at its end with a itting 23 by means of which oil may be inserted or Withdrawn from the chamber.

. Suitably keyed to the end of the shaft 20 is a sprocket 24 connected by a chain 25 to a similar sprocket mounted on a shaft 26 of the motor 16. By means of these connections, the shaft 20 is driven by the motor 16. The sprocket 24 and the chain 25 are enclosed in a suitable housing 27 which may also be adapted for containing oil to lubricate the chain. The other end of the shaft 20, which projects from the chamber 18, is provided with a pulley 28 adapted to receive the belt 8 for driving the well rig.

Mounted on the end of the shaft 20 beyond the sprocket 24 is a sleeve 29. This sleeve is secured by means of a bolt 30 to the end of the shaft and fixed against movement by means of a dowel 3l or other suitable fastening. The outer end of the sleeve 29 isR provided with a radial flange 32. A flywheel 33 ing means, such as the oil cup 34, may be provided to insure lubrication of this bearing. The flywheel 33 may also be fixed so as to 'rotatewith the shaft 20. ylhis may be done by means of a series of bolts 35 or other suitable means for detachably connecting the dywheel to the hub of the sprocket 24 or to the shaft itlf. The construction shown in Figure 2 is a simple one, since the flywheel may be easily detached by removing the bolts 35.

ln the use of this device, the power unit is mounted on a suitable foundation as shown in Figure 1, and the pulley 28 is belted to the band wheel 7. If pumping operations are being carried out, the iywheel is fixed to rotate with the shaft 20 by inserting the bolts 35. Under these conditions, the :dywheel will take up iiuctuations of load due to any unbalancing of the pump rod load, and consequently the load on the motor may be ly practically constant. It will be noted thermore, that the flywheel takes up fl ations at the shaft 2() and thereby relieves the chain 25 as Well as the motor of a fluctuating load. When hoisting operations are to be carried out, the bolts 35 may be removed so that the flywheel will turn freely on the shaft 20. The motor may new be driven forward or backward and started or stopped as rapidly as desired, without being hindered by the weight of the ywheel. ln this way rapid hoisting operations can be carried out and braking can be accomplished by reversing the motor which is free to apply its full braking effect to stopping the load on the rig. During such operation, the ywheel remains practically stationary and the shaft 20 turns Within it, the sleeve 29 providing a bearing which may be kept lubricated as described. It will also be noted that this device provides a speed reducing unit which is compact and self-contained and which may be applied to any well rig.

It is obvious that various changes may be made, within the scope of the appended claim, in the details of/construction Without departing from the spirit of this invention; it is, therefore, to be understood that this invention is not limited to the specific details shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is:

A power unit for oil wells, comprising, a motor, a driving Wheel thereon, a countershaft, a driven wheel on one end of said countershaft, driving connections between said wheels, a flywheel free on said countershaft adjacent said driven Wheel, a second drivin wheel on the other end of said countershaz, a driven shaft having a driven wheel thereon, driving connections between nections between said iiywheel an said second -drivi ng end driven wheels, the

and having a radially extending ange on said projection, and releasable drivin consaid flange independent of said countershaft.

In testimony whereof I aiiix my signature this 6th day of October 1927.

oUGtAs R. BROWN. 

